Socket wrench



P 1941- F. B. HON'CHOCK A 2,254,681

SOCKET WRENCH Filed Oct. '7, 1940 Fred ,5. fi ms/200k INVENTOR WITNESS ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 2, 1941 UNlTED STATES PATENT;- Face Application October 7, 1940, Serial N 0. 360,191

2 Claims.

This invention relates to socket wrenches and has for an object to provide a socket wrench in which the jaws are adjustable to receive various sizes and shapes of nuts and are held rigidly against displacement in any adjusted jaws.

A further object is to provide a socket wrench which may be easily manipulated to reach nuts in almost inaccessible places and to accommodate projecting screws of various heights above the nut.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View of an adjustable socket wrench constructed in accordance with the invention and Showing th jaws adjusted to receive small nuts.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the socket wrench showing the jaws adjusted to receive large nuts.

Figure 3 is a perspective View showing the jaws in disassembled position.

Figure 4 is a side elevation justing springs of the jaws in disassembled position.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, the socket wrench comprises a tubular casing l having a hand grip I I mounted on one end. The tubular casing is provided with an uniformly enlarged end portion l2 opposite the hand grip. The wall of the enlarged -end tapers outwardly from the tub to the enlarged end to provide a conical neck [3.

A hollow internally threaded screw I4 is 1'0- tatably mounted in the bore of the tubular casing l0 through the medium of a circular disk l which is secured to the inner wall of a recess H3 in the hand grip by screws ll, or other connectors. The disk is provided with an opening I8 to receive the end of the screw M. A Washer showing the ad- ILL) I9 is fixed on the. screw below the disk I 5 and a knob is fixed on the screw above the disk l5 to preventthe'screw movinglong'itudinally of the tubularcasing Ill.

A threaded shank 2! is engaged in the hollow screw I 4 and extends through the conical neck l3. The end of the shank is provided with a recess 22 which receives spreader links 23, best shown in Figure 4.

The spreader links each comprise a central eye 24 from which arms 25 diverge, one of the arms being provided with a curved tip 26 and the other arm being provided with a downwardly ex-. tending substantially straight portion 27 which terminates in an eye 28.

The eyes 24 of both links are disposed to register with each other in the recess 22 in the lower end of the shank 2 I, and a pivotpin 29 is passed through the eyes. When the knob 20 is turned to retract the shank 2|, the arms 25 of the spreader links are moved along and are cammed closed together by the wall of the conical neck l3 to spread apart the lower terminals 27 of the links. When the shank is extended, the arms 25 will rise from the low portion to the high portion to the conical neck l3 and permit the arms 21 of the spreader links to be spread apart against the tension of a helical spring 30 which is interposed between the arms 21 and connected to both arms 21 of the spreader links. The helical spring is a strong contraction spring, that is, it tends to constantly pull the lower arm 21 toward each other to hold the upper arms 25 snugly in engagement with the conical wall of the neck l3.

A pair of jaws 3!, best shown in Figure 3, are mounted to slide laterally on a shaft 32 disposed transversely of the enlarged end l2 of the tubular casing 10. The shank 33 of each jaw is provided with an opening 34 to receive a respective end of the shaft 32. A weak expansion helical spring 35 is mounted at the ends in recesses 36 formed in the confronting faces of the jaws below the shaft 32. The spring tends to constantly slide the jaws outwardly on the shaft 32.

The outer faces of the jaws are provided with downwardly and inwardly inclined cam surfaces 9 which form the inner walls of recesses 31 formed in the jaws. Pins 38 are engaged through the extremity of the enlarged end I 2 of the tubu lar casing I0. When the jaws are retracted to-' ward the conical neck, the pins 38 ride into the recesses 31 and onto the cam surfaces 9 to hold the jaws in parallel relationship. Notches 39 are formed in the jaws above the recesses 31 to receive the pins when the jaws are extended outwardly to their full extent from the enlarged tubular end l2.

The jaws are provided at their free ends with working heads 40 having flat confronting faces 4| provided with V-shaped recesses 42 which coact in receiving various sizes of nuts. The heads are provided with semi-circular recesses 43 above the V-shaped recesses to accommodate the projecting ends of bolts.

Since the operation of the parts has been described as a description of the parts progressed, it is thought the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

l. A socket wrench comprising, a tubular casing, a hollow hand grip on the upper end of the casing, the lower end of the casing being uniformly enlarged, the casing tapering outwardly to the enlarged portion to form a conical neck, a hollow internally threaded screw mounted in the casing having an operating knob disposed in the hollow hand grip, a threaded shank engaging the hollow screw, spreader links having diverging arms pivotally connected to the lower end of the threaded shank, a spring connecting the lower arms of the links yieldably holding the upper ends of the arms against said neck, the lower arms of the spreader links extending parallel with each other, a pair of jaw members pivotally secured to the lower end of the last-named arms, a shaft movable in the enlarged portion of the casing upon which said jaws are slidably mounted, a helical Spring between the jaws yieldably holding the upper ends of the jaws spread apart on said shaft, the lower portions of the jaws being formed with recesses having inclined inner walls, and pins carried by the enlarged portion of the casing engaged in said recesses against said walls and holding the jaws parallel.

2. The structure as in claim 1 and in which said jaws terminate in heads provided with confronting triangular recesses to receive screws, the heads being provided above the triangular recesses with substantially semi-circular recesses to receive the projecting end of the screws when the heads are closed upon nuts carried by the screws.

FRED B. HONCHOCK. 

